


Saint Motel

by LKKG



Series: Saint Motel [1]
Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: I'm horny so they're horny I have no excuses, Internalized Homophobia, Jew jokes cause i'm jewish and i literally can't stop myself, The high school/international star/exotic dancer AU literally no one ever wanted, canon-like dark crap is discussed later, inspired by a bunch of random songs, no beta we die like men, tags to be added later, this is gonna be long, trigger warnings for child abuse and mentions of attempted suicide/self destructive behavior
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-03
Updated: 2020-09-05
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:47:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26273605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LKKG/pseuds/LKKG
Summary: Some families are worth waiting ten years for.
Relationships: Alluka Zoldyck & Zushi, Gon Freecs/Killua Zoldyck, Kurapika/Leorio Paladiknight
Series: Saint Motel [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1972483
Comments: 14
Kudos: 25





	1. Recognition

**Author's Note:**

> Whelp. Hope you guys like this.  
> This is also vaguely inspired by some of my favourite fics by zenelly and Queerapika. If either of them ever reads this, firstly, I will die of starstruckedness, and secondly, if either if them thinks I'm plagiarizing I will also die but I will take it down first.  
> Also, if you are Argentinian or Israeli, hit me up because I'm not but Peeks and Leorio are and I want to make sure this is as accurate as humanly possible because I'm a perfectionist sometimes.

"Mr. Paladiknight-"  
  
"Leo, please. My full name is too formal. Just Leo will suffice."  
  
"Leo, then. You've really made quite a splash in the world in the last year. Last spring no one knew who you were, and now it's nearly impossible to find someone who doesn't know your name. Is there anything you'd like to say about your incredible success?"  
  
"I think I'm the one who's most surprised about this, honestly. When we formed 'Hunter,' we were just three guys fooling around and having a good time. If you'd told me we'd be topping charts within a few years I'd have laughed in your face. Even now I still can't believe we were lucky enough to have caught the attention of Ms. Melody."  
  
"Speaking of your manager, I've heard that you all are very close with her. Any words?"  
  
"We all adore Mel. We definitely would not be able to survive this without her running everything. I lost my mom when I was very young, but I feel like I've found another with Melody."  
  
"Awww, that's so sweet. And how about your relationship with your bandmates, Gon Freeces and Killua Zoldyck?"  
  
"They are my children. And I would die for them. Do I want to smack Killua whenever he's being a brat? Yes. But I would still go to the ends of the earth for him and Gon. I met them both while I was doing an internship at the local hospital and Gon came in with both arms and one leg broken and nearly half a dozen fractured ribs. Idiot was trying to get a cat out of a tree. They were both fifteen and we've been fast friends ever since."  
  
"You mentioned the local hospital. Is it true that you have a medical license? Very impressive for someone only twenty eight years old."  
  
"Heh. Yeah. I've always been a bit of an over-achiever, I never know when to stop. I managed to finish my pre-med in only three years by taking a bunch of summer classes which is why I'm ahead by a year. I'm a licensed pediatrician which I guess is a pretty weird thing to be as a music star, but I don't really do normal."  
  
"It's part of what the world loves so much about you. One last question, about your latest single, 'My Type.' We've all seen the official video. Any words?"  
  
"It's a love song. Or I guess it's a song about trying to find love. I thought the message was rather clear from the lyrics and the video. I wrote it because I think we're all looking for that spark and that if we keep limiting ourselves to what we think we're looking for, we might miss it."  
  
"After watching the video, the world can assume that you choose to not limit yourself in such ways."  
  
"If what your driving at is whether I'm a playboy, the answer is no. I don't fall in love often and when I do, I fall hard and stay that way. But yes, I am pansexual and I do admire beauty in all forms. I encourage others to be open and open minded as well. I missed my chance to be with the love of my life because they didn't come in the form I thought I wanted. I don't want other people to make the same mistake I did."  
  
"Thank you for coming in, Leo, that's all we have time for tonight. That was Leorio Paladiknight, everyone, lead singer of the group 'Hunter,' global heartthrob and LGBT icon. Stay tuned for our next segment; Dangerous Characters."

"That went well," Melody said, falling in step beside Leorio as he left the set.  
  
"I'm not clear on how I'm an LGBT icon, but yes, it wasn't a total disaster."  
  
Melody patted his arm. "You are one. Don't worry too much about it. Most people aren't as open minded as you are and for now you just have to accept that. It means a lot for people to see you be so open about your sexuality considering your status and fame."  
  
"I guess..."  
  
"You're inspiring people, Leorio. And there are lots of people who are very grateful for what you're doing."  
  
"I honestly kinda wish I had written that song to be the statement they all think it is. I really just wrote it because it was true."  
  
"I know. We know that. But what the world doesn't know can't hurt them."  
  
"I guess you're right. Thanks Mel."  
  
Melody stopped him with a gentle hand on his arm, and looked up to meet his eyes. "I'm proud to be your new mother."  
  
Leorio stared at her for a moment, then blinked back tears, leaning down to hug the tiny woman. "Thanks Mel," he sniffled.  
  
"No, dear. Thank you."  
  
They broke apart and headed back to their hotel, where they were meeting up with the boys.  
  
When Leorio entered the living room of the suite he and the kiddos were sharing, Killua and Gon were heaped on top of each other in a tangled mess. Gon was laying mostly on his boyfriend, head resting on his chest while Killua played something on his DS.  
  
"You two are fucking adorable, have I ever told you that?"  
  
"Only every other minute, old man."  
  
"I'd smack you but you're too cute." Leorio toed out of his shoes, dropping his coat over the back of the couch, leaning over it to stare at his boys. "Did you guys even watch my interview?"  
  
"Pfft, as if," Killua retorted at the same time as Gon replied sleepily, "of course we did." Killua scowled and smacked the back of Gon's head lightly.  
  
"Thanks. I'm glad you did. Now," Leorio said, taking a step back from the couch. "Make room for me!" He cried, rushing forward to vault over the back, landing atop his companions as they squealed. A tussle began that ended with Leorio being dumped unceremoniously on the floor. His back was extremely grateful for the plush carpet that broke his fall. "Brats," he muttered as he came up on his elbow, reaching up to flick both of them.  
  
"Are the three of you going to be alright for the night? I have a lot of work to do. I still have to make a final pass through the choreographer applications," Melody spoke from the doorway to her room. "I can go get anything you think you might need."  
  
"Mel, you work too hard! We can get anything we need ourselves! And let me help with the applications!" Leorio shot up, half running across the room to snatch Melody's laptop out of her hands and sheperd her the coffee table.  
  
"It's fine, I can handle it. I was going to run them past you after this next pass-" she explained, trying to drag her heels, but Leorio was having none of it. She did too much for them all for him to let her overwork herself. He yanked a pillow out from behind the boys, ignoring their protests, and set it on the floor, gesturing for her to sit as he placed the laptop on the table before her.  
  
She smiled gently at him, then at the boys. "Thank you. Let me pull up the videos I was looking at." She logged in and opened up a folder. Leorio sat down beside her and together they watched the dance routines they'd been sent, discussing each one in depth. They were looking for a new choreographer since the one they'd been working with, a woman named Bisky who had a penchant for pink and could easily have tossed Leorio a hundred yards with one hand, had finally retired. There were pleanty of very talented people who had applied for the position, but no one person had stood out from the rest as of yet.  
  
After about an hour, the boys had passed out, snuggled up on the couch and Leorio got up to get them into bed. First Gon, which was a struggle since the kid had been steadily putting on muscle mass the way everyone else on the planet put on fat, then Killua who was difficult solely because he kept squirming now that his boyfriend wasn't in his arms. Luckily, Leorio still had a few inches on them and could deadlift half again his weight. Leorio made sure to place them both close to each other on the big bed they shared and put one of Gon's arms into Killua's hands. The white haired boy immediately curled around it and rolled closer to his boyfriend, mumbling contentedly. Leorio would for the life of him never understand how someone unconscious could be that aware of their surroundings, or be able to identify someone, but it was too cute to worry about.  
  
He slipped out of the room and closed the door behind him, crossing the room to join Melody again. He stopped dead in his tracks when he caught sight of the screen.  
  
"This one is phenomenal, they do all their own dancing too, but their style is a little feminine for you I think-"  
  
"Him."  
  
"What?" Melody asked, startled, looking up at him.  
  
Leorio knelt down next to her, his eyes never leaving the dancer on the screen. "It has to be him. I'll take over. Do you have his contact info?"  
  
"Well, yes," Melody said. "But what's going on?"  
  
Leorio finally managed to unglue his eyes from the screen and flashed her a grin. "Trust me. I'll explain later. Go to bed, I'll finish this up."  
  
Melody gave him a long, searching look. "Alright," she said quietly as she stood, smoothing out the wrinkles in her dress. "Goodnight Leorio. I'll see you in the morning."  
  
"'Night Mel."  
  
As soon as she was gone, Leorio restarted the video, the first annoyingly catchy riff of the pop song playing, but Leorio barely heard it, every ounce of his focus on the elegant, delicate figure on the screen. His eyes traveled from the shiny red stilettos up mile long legs in stylishly cut slacks, trailing up the buttons of a fitted white dress shirt, the top three undone and exposing smooth, ivory skin and prominent collarbones, then further, further to the small, low ponytail, golden bangs slipping free of captivity and encouraged by black-nailed fingers brushing them back and out of storm-like eyes above bright, crimson stained lips curled into an intoxicating smirk.  
  
Leorio couldn't help but reach out, fingertips trailing gently over the screen as he caught a flash of red, a single garnet earring on a silver chain. That earring had been his mother's once, the matching one lost to the sands of times. He'd given it freely, as a gift, when his first love had chickened out after getting one ear pierced. They had looked at him, eyes gleaming with unshed tears when he'd pressed it into their hands the next day, and promised to never take it off. And here they were, wearing it now. Maybe they'd kept that promise.  
  
His voice was soft and low, tracing the delicate syllables aloud for the first time in years, reminding himself of their sweet taste and their feel on his tongue.  
  
"Kurapika."

"Hello. I have an appointment for three thirty? I wasn't informed who with, but I'm a choreographer."  
  
"Kurapika Kurta, yes? Your meeting is taking place in room 404. Head right on up and go in. A representative will be with you shortly."  
  
Kurapika thanked the receptionist and stepped away from the counter, heading towards the elevator. He was probably the most anxious he'd been in years, and holding back his nerves was growing harder and harder by the minute. The ride up the elevator was painfully slow, and his hands clenched around the strap of his satchel. If this interview went well he'd have his first real job in his field, and for a famous company no less. All he had to do was not fuck this up.  
  
He found room 404 without too much difficulty and entered, as he'd been instructed. It was a small conference room with a chrome table big enough for eight and a wall of windows with a lovely view of the busy street below. It looked straight out of a movie and it made Kurapika smile. He sat down in a chair facing the door at the far side of the room, fidgeting with the strap of his bag. He let his mind wander to the piece he'd been working on, letting his fingers tap along to the steps as he went through them in his head. There was a bit in the middle that had him stumped; he could never quite figure out the perfect step sequence or the right segway into the next part. He closed his eyes to better visualize the steps, humming quietly.  
  
"Long time no see."  
  
Kurapika's head snapped up, eyes flying open as he turned instinctively towards the deep, sultry voice, towards the tall, lanky, gorgeous, heartwrenching familiar form lounging like James Dean against the doorway.  
  
No.  
  
/No/.  
  
Shitshitshitshitshitshitshitshit.

Leorio watched with distant amusement as Kurapika forced his face clear of the wave of emotion that had passed over it when he'd first looked up. That was new. Before, Kurapika had been absolutely shit at controlling his emotions, something Leorio had loved intensely even as he envied it. Kurapika had never needed to hide before. He wondered when that had changed.  
  
He met Kurapika's newly blanked look with a smile. "Any words for an old friend?"  
  
"Leorio."  
  
"That's my name, don't wear it out."  
  
Kurapika remained impassive. "Why are you here?" He asked, voice cold.  
  
Leorio pulled the door shut, then leaned on it. Until he was sure Kurapika wouldn't bolt, he wasn't going to take any chances. "I'm here for my three-thirty with the amazing and talented up-and-coming choreographer who will be working with my group starting next week."  
  
"Shouldn't your manager be handling this?"  
  
Hmm. So he was going to play the professional, huh? Okay. Leorio shrugged. "I insisted she take a day off. Looking after the boys and me is a full time job and she needed a break."  
  
"I think maybe I'm not a good match for your group. My dances are too androgynous for most people's taste."  
  
"So are you. Never stopped me before."  
  
Kurapika stood abruptly, face flushing. Leorio couldn't tell if it was anger or embarrassment that was painting Kurapika's cheeks pink, but either way, it didn't bode well for him.  
  
"Kurapika, stop. If you really don't want to talk about the past, fine. But I'm still hiring you. I think you're perfect for our group. I understand that you might not be content with working with me, but it's in your best interest to do so. A one month trial is all I ask. After that, if you aren't satisfied, I will personally recommend you to any position you choose, anywhere you want."  
  
Kurapika stared at the table in front of him. "I don't need your handouts," he snarled.  
  
Oh man, that was a red flag. He made note of that response, to be processed later. "It's not a handout. Your work is amazing. I had to fight off three other groups to get you first. As a professional, I want to give you a step up in the buisness. But more than that, I just want to help out an old friend. You've wanted this for years and I can make it happen. It would be wrong if I didn't." /And I want you back/, Leorio added selfishly in his head.  
  
The room fell silent and remained that way, stretching out for what had to be a century. But for Kurapika, Leorio could be patient. He'd been waiting ten years. Another few minutes was nothing.  
  
Kurapika's voice was quiet when he finally spoke. "One month?"  
  
"Just one. If you hate it after that, you can leave."  
  
Kurapika sighed, lifting a hand to massage his brow. "Fine. Send me the details."  
  
"Don't have to. Here," Leorio held out the folder he'd been holding, watching as Kurapika warily crossed the room, snatching the folder out of Leorio's hand from as far away as he possibly could. Leorio did his best not to stare. Even with whatever had messed him up so badly, the last decade had been good to Kurapika. He was somehow even more perfect than before, though Leorio wasn't sure how that could be.  
  
"In case you were considering not showing up," Leorio said, crossing his arms across his chest. "You just entered a verbal contract with me. If you don't show I can and will have the company track you down."  
  
"I understand. Now may I please leave?" Kurapika kept his eyes fastened to the floor in front of his feet.  
  
Leorio reached behind him and pushed the door open, but remained in the doorway. He wasn't about to make any of this easy on Kurapika. If he was going to be a little shit about it, than Leorio would, as he always had, follow his lead.  
  
Kurapika hesitated for a moment, then pushed past him without a word. As he passed, Leorio took a breath. Kurapika smelled different now, like cheap shampoo rather than vanilla. Leorio wondered when he'd run out of the perfume Leorio had bought him, or if he'd thrown it away.  
  
Then Kurapika was gone, just a flash of golden hair and the tap of his heels on the tile floor; an abrupt parting, as all of theirs seemed to be destined to be.  
  
Leorio closed his eyes and swallowed hard, tipping his head back against the door. "Well," he whispered to himself. "That went well."

Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck.  
  
Kurapika needed to get out of there. Now. He practically ran to the first bathroom he could find, grateful it was a single person instead of stalls as he slipped inside. He slammed the door and locked it before falling to his knees, resting his forehead against it as his breathing turned shallow and tears spilled from his eyes.  
  
Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck.  
  
This couldn't be happening.  
  
How had Leorio even gotten his application?  
  
Why had he followed through with it?  
  
Why had he chosen to be the one present for this meeting?  
  
Why would he offer Kurapika this second chance?  
  
Why didn't Leorio hate him?  
  
Had he seen /the/ video?  
  
Had he heard about Kurapika's parents? He must have. Right?  
  
They had parted ten years ago, and at the time neither of them knew that that goodbye was going to be so permanent.  
  
But things had happened, things Kurapika didn't want to think about, and he... just... couldn't. He'd changed his number. He'd changed his address. He'd done his best to disappear, to seperate himself as much as possible from his past life because the reminders were too painful to bear and there were monsters there, evil things he'd tried impossibly hard to keep buried in the past along with his loved ones.  
  
Seeing Leorio, his stupidly handsome face and unfairly perfect body and hearing his low, rough voice, had reminded Kurapika of everything he'd spent the last decade trying desperately to forget.  
  
He sat on the floor and cried until he was exhausted, then stood on unsteady legs, washed his face, and headed home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not that literally anyone asked, but Peek's piece from the video was the Dove Cameron cover of "Genie in a Bottle" because I'm a 19 year old boy who listens to the Decedent's movies soundtracks because I'm trash leave me alone.


	2. Remembrance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yeet I'm bored and posting gives me serotonin have fun y'all

Leorio spent the next week alternating between utter panic and overwhelming excitement. He had Kurapika back. Sort of. In a way. And maybe only for a month. But it was better than the decade without him, and Leorio would take what he could get.  
  
By the time Kurapika's first day came around, Leorio was nothing but nerves, and everyone around him could tell.  
  
"Alright, intervention time," Killua said, shoving Leorio into his chair in their practice room in the penthouse they shared. "You've been acting crazy lately. What is going on?"  
  
"It has something to do with that pretty dancer," Melody added traitorously without looking up from her laptop. "He got one look at them and hasn't been the same since."  
  
Gon wrapped an arm around Leorio's shoulders and perched himself on the armrest. "We're worried about you. Please tell us what's going on."  
  
Leorio sighed, looking around the large, open room, their instruments arranged in one corner, the enormous windows with an amazing view of the city. "Kurapika and I were... friends... in high school. Maybe more than friends, or we would have been if things had been different for me. He's two years younger. We promised to keep in touch after I graduated, but after a few months he just... dissapeared off the face of the earth. Stopped returning my calls. I tried going back to his house to find him, but there was a new family living there and they didn't know what had happened to him or his parents. I couldn't find him on social media and no one else I managed to contact from high school would tell me anything about what happened." He turned to Melody. "When I saw him in that video I couldn't believe that I'd actually found him. And getting to see him last week, in person..." he couldn't help the soft smile that slipped across his face. "G-d I've missed him. But I don't think he was terrifically pleased to see me, which I guess I should have expected."  
  
"So, let me get this straight." Killua interjected, hand wrapped around his chin. "You just found your high school sweetheart after he ghosted you for what, ten years, and your plan is to drag him back into your life by force?"  
  
After a moment of intense thought, Leorio simply replied, "yup."  
  
Killua shrugged and shook his head. "Dude, I get your a total masochist, but this is next level. The guy's clearly an ass, you're better off without him."  
  
"Kil, stop it. You don't know him," Leorio's voice lowered with displeasure.  
  
"Neither do you."  
  
"I know him well enough. I know he must have had his reasons for what he did. I also know that he will eventually tell me what they were."  
  
"How do you know that? The guy totally blew you off!"  
  
"I love him!" Leorio shouted, startling everyone. "Sorry Mel," he murmured, belatedly remembering her sensitive hearing. "I know it doesn't make a lot of sense, but I love him and more importantly, I trust him. He helped me through a lot of shit, like a lot, when I was younger and got me out of a really bad place. We... what we had was different. Like you two," he gestured between the two younger boys. "He's the reason I'm still alive today and you know I don't say that lightly. At the very least I owe him his dream job."  
  
Killua was silent. Leorio could see him processing the information he'd been given, comparing it to his own experiences. "Okay, so what's the plan for this? What do you want the rest of us to do?"  
  
"Just, act natural. Get to know him. Don't judge him and don't let him know that you know any of this. I'll," he paused. "I'll talk to him eventually. He's a really great guy, I promise."  
  
"Okay," Gon promised. "It sounds like he's really important to you. I can't wait to meet him!"  
  
"Thanks kiddo," Leorio smiled and ruffled Gon's hair. "That means a lot."

The ride up in the elevator had been very long. The building was tall, and apparently the room he was looking for was on the top floor, the button labelled, auspiciously, 'P' for penthouse. Because of course Leorio lived in the penthouse of a swanky building. The man was a doctor and an international superstar and fucking perfect in every conceivable, infuriating way. And Kurapika had a microscopic studio apartment with a twin mattress on the floor and a kitchen even he could barely fit into and three jobs just to make ends meet.  
  
He wasn't bitter. He wasn't jealous. He simply understood that they were very different people, going very different places. They always had been. They always would be. Thinking otherwise only invited heartbreak, and he knew better than to go down that road again.  
  
He knocked, tentatively, on the apartment door, and was surprised when it was opened almost immediately by a small, mousy woman.  
  
"Um, hello, I'm Kurapika."  
  
"Melody," the woman replied, stretching out her hand. "It's nice to meet you."  
  
Kurapika shook her hand, slightly star struck at being in her presence. She was famous in her field, and he'd heard of her even before he'd done any serious research into the profession. And into Leorio's life. He hadn't been able to keep himself from looking him up every so often, just to see what he was doing. He'd been following 'Hunter' since they'd been playing at bars, and he'd been among the first to buy their album. Not that he would ever admit that to anyone, or acknowledge the many, many hours he had spent listening to Leorio's comforting voice through his headphones.  
  
"Please, come in," Melody said, motioning for him to enter and gently nudging him out of his head and back into the present. "Leave your shoes there on the rack if you would."  
  
"Sure," Kurapika stepped inside, then stooped to tug off his ankle high wedge boots, feeling the familiar jab of discomfort as his feet adjusted to being flat again.  
  
Once his boots were on the rack, he finally got a chance to look around. The apartment opened into a hallway with a large, homey kitchen on one side and an elegant dinning room at the end. It was gorgeous in an expensive, tasteful way, and Kurapika couldn't help his jaw dropping. Everywhere he looked was windows and expensive fixtures and sun dappled wood and beautiful furnishings. But tucked away amongst the clearly professionally designed and maintained perfection were a few, small things that were so Leorio it made his heart twinge. An old, cheap coffee maker, much like the one Kurapika had in his apartment, was proudly set in the middle of the counter, the little wooden cigar box Leorio had kept his keys in when they were younger was on the long island that bordered the hallway, in easy reach, dishes drying next to the sink confirmed that he'd never figured out the benefits of dishwashers.  
  
Kurapika followed Melody as she guided him through the apartment, each room a curious mix of magazine worthy interior design and lived in. The living room had a large, expensive leather couch covered in matching pillows and throw blankets, but it also had a couple of game consoles connected to the enormous television and controllers lay scattered haphazardly around the room. Kurapika bit the inside of his cheek to keep himself from smiling. Leorio had always wanted an XBox. Kurapika hoped it had proved to be all that Leorio had dreamed of. Melody pointed out the half-bath on the far wall, then gestured at the doors further down the hall, informing him that there were three bedrooms with their own bathrooms, one which belonged to Gon and Killua, and one master suite which Leorio used. A part of Kurapika, which he was trying very hard to mentally strangle, wanted to sneak inside Leorio's room, just to see. But he couldn't do that. They weren't friends anymore. There were thousands of things Leorio didn't know about him now, things he didn't know how to share, actions he had no justification for and couldn't explain. And besides, he was nothing but a poor twenty-something with three part time jobs and enough trauma it would take a dozen therapists a lifetime to unpack, and Leorio was the golden boy, at the top of the world and still dreaming bigger. They didn't fit together. They never had. It had been a hard lesson to learn, but he understood that now.  
  
Finally, Melody threw open a door and ushered him through. The room was ridiculously big. Big enough that it could probably hold two of Kurapika's apartment and still have room to spare. Three of the four walls were floor to ceiling windows, the forth was covered in mirrors. The view was spectacular, though Kurapika couldn't help but wonder how much money it took to keep the heat regulated in the summer and winter. One corner had a collection of instruments, a second a large desk with a collection of filling cabinets, and a third another desk, covered with speakers and monitors and keyboards and other techy things Kurapika assumed were for making music.  
  
"This is the studio. The boys and I do most of our work here. This will work for you, yes?" Melody asked, gesturing around at the empty space in the center of the room.  
  
"Yes, thank you," Kurapika replied dumbly as she nodded politely and crossed to what was apparently her desk in the corner.  
  
"Gon and Killua will be back in a minute, they ran off to grab something. Leorio's out running some errands. He'll probably return in an hour or two. Make yourself at home."  
  
Kurapika's shoulders sagged in relief. He'd been dreading his next meeting with Leorio, expecting him to turn up at any second. At least he would get to meet the others without panicking now.  
  
Despite having been told to make himself at home, Kurapika wasn't sure exactly what he was supposed to be doing while he waited. His reflexes from a lifetime of dance classes kicked in and without consciously deciding to do so, he wound up near the far wall stretching, the familiar movements comforting as he sat, legs extended in front of him and flopped over them, wrapping his elbows around his toes and holding it until it burned before moving on.  
  
A few minutes later, the door burst open and the younger two members of 'Hunter' entered noisily, giggling. He'd only seen the two in photos and videos of the group performing and knew very little about them other than what he'd heard in interviews.  
  
Gon, who seemed even taller and even more well built in person, spotted him before he could stand.  
  
"Oh! You're here! Hi! You're really flexible!" Kurapika pulled his legs back in to stand as Gon crossed over to him. "I'm Gon! It's really nice to meet you!" He stuck out a hand, grinning from ear to ear.  
  
"Kurapika. It's really nice to meet you too," he replied, putting his hand in Gon's only to have it shaken hard enough to knock him off balance.  
  
The other boy stepped forward, bumping Gon aside, keeping his arms crossed. "Killua," he said as his introduction. "Sorry about him, he doesn't know his own stregth."  
  
"It's alright," Kurapika said as he pulled his hand away, trying to covertly massage his shoulder. "It's nice to meet you as well."  
  
"Yeah," Killua said haughtily before he turned towards Melody. Kurapika had the feeling that the boy didn't like him and mentally kicked himself. Either he had made a bad impression on his own or worse Leorio had done it for him. Probably both, knowing his luck.  
  
"So, Mel, what're we doing today?" Killua asked.  
  
"I was thinking maybe we could just get to know each other, maybe Kurapika could go over a few basics with you? Does that sound alright?" Melody asked him with a smile.  
  
Kurapika tentatively returned the gesture. "Yes, that sounds lovely."  
  
Gon immediately jumped in. "Can you show us how flexible you are?"  
  
Kurapika turned towards him, flustered. "What do you mean?"  
  
"Like, can you do the splits? And touch your toes to your head?"  
  
"He's asking 'cause he can barely touch his toes normally anymore," Killua informed him.  
  
"I can do both actually," Kurapika said, letting his lips curl up.  
  
"Show us!"  
  
Gon's grin was too infectious and pure to fight, so Kurapika let himself slide effortlessly into a side split, watching the surprise on both of their faces. Even Killua seemed impressed. Placing his hands on the floor in front of him, he lifted himself up off the ground and moved his legs up and over his head so his knees rested on his shoulders, watching their faces scrunch. He loved doing that, the disgust and cringes of imagined pain on people's faces. No one ever believed him when he said it didn't hurt.  
  
"Can you teach us how to do that?" Gon asked, sitting down in front of Kurapika eagerly.  
  
Kurapika untwisted his legs and set himself back down on the floor. "Sorry, but I can't. I can only do it because I've spent almost my entire life practicing. But I can teach you some easy stretches that will help you loosen up."  
  
Kurapika was used to teaching dance classes. That was one of the many things he'd done during the last few years. Unfortunately, he was used to teaching children, so figuring out how to age up the material was challenging and he had to catch himself whenever he slipped up. He made his way through his preferred beginner's stretches then moved on to some very basic dance techniques.  
  
And it was... fun. Gon's enthusiasm was clearly as effective on everyone else as it was on Kurapika, and Melody and even a very begrudging Killua had joined them. Melody gently complained about how tight she was in her old age, but laughed along with everyone else when Kurapika regaled them with stories about trying (and generally failing, as anyone would) to teach toddlers ballet.  
  
All four of them were so busy giggling madly that none of them noticed when the door opened, then shut again.

A tiny smile played across Leorio's lips as he walked back to the kitchen to start on dinner. He'd known they would get along. Because Kurapika was sweet and funny and charming and loveable and so were his friends so of course they would get on like a house on fire. At least now they would understand some of why he couldn't let Kurapika go.  
  
He connected his phone to the bluetooth speaker in the kitchen and got to work preparing dinner for all five of them. He sang quietly as he chopped vegetables and chicken, sliding them into a large pot as the recipe instructed. He liked this dish. It was easy to make, tasty, and most importantly didn't clash with the dietary restrictions he was working with. Gon was ridiculously lactose intolerant and it was fairly safe to assume Kurapika still kept kosher. Leorio firmly believed it was generally easier to play it safe with these things.  
  
After awhile the rice maker beeped and Leorio slid the pot off the burner and served, setting their places at the dinning table. Killua thought his insistence on having sit down dinners was the most bizarre thing on the face of the earth, but Gon and Melody had both accepted it without question, since that's how they'd grown up eating. Leorio had eaten most of his meals when he was little on the back stairs of his Abuolita's house and when he'd gotten older he'd mostly shovelled food into his face between work and school and practice and his thousands of other responsibilities. The only times he'd eaten at a table surrounded by something close to family was first with Pietro and later with Kurapika and he'd loved it. As soon as he'd found a family of his own (since the boys, Alluka, and Mel were family whether they wanted to be or not), he'd immediately instated this tradition.  
  
Satisfied that everything was in it's proper place, he pushed open the studio door and gave the frame a gentle knock to draw the groups attention. They were still cracking up over lord knew what, and Leorio couldn't contain a smirk as he projected his voice across the room. "It's time to relocate this party. Dinner's served."  
  
The boys immediately sprung to their feet, Killua pausing to help Melody up before they both rushed off to the kitchen to pick out drinks. Melody followed, cheeks still flushed from laughter, but she stopped beside Leorio and rested a hand on his arm. "I understand now. He's lovely." And with that she was gone, floating off down the hall, leaving Leorio running a hand through his hair to cover his embarrassment.  
  
"Um, I don't have my phone on me. What time is it?"  
  
"Six. And you're not getting out of dinner, I already set you a plate and the schedule you sent us said you can stay until eight so don't try any excuses. I won't hear 'em."  
  
Kurapika nodded. Then, eyes on the floor as he stood, remaining some feet away from Leorio, and smiled shyly. "I like them. A lot. They're wonderful."  
  
"Damn right they are. I surround myself with only the best of the best," Leorio relied, sticking his nose in the air.  
  
"Well, that makes one of us," Kurapika said softly.  
  
Leorio filed that away for further consideration, then hooked a thumb over his shoulder. "Well, we can work on that, starting with dinner. I'm not totally sure the boys won't have started without us. Little shitlords never lost their teenage metabolisms."  
  
Dinner was a raucous affair, aided by two bottles of rosé that Leorio had been gifted by a winery in France while Hunter had been performing overseas.  
  
Leorio couldn't help but notice how Kurapika cradled his glass after he'd finished eating, curled comfortably up his his chair, face flushed to about the same colour as his wine. Kurapika's parents had always been very open minded, easygoing people and had often let the the two of them drink a little during dinner. That was where Leorio had developed unfortunately expensive tastes in liquor, a habit he'd been unable to afford until very recently. It was also where he'd learned that he liked buzzed Kurapika. He was always so tight laced and on edge normally that getting to see him content and relaxed made Leorio's heart flutter.  
  
They remained at the table for a long time, sharing stories and discussing the most random collection of things. Leorio had only gotten up to clear the table and bring back dessert, improvised lactose free ice cream sundaes and a cup of coffee for Kurapika.  
  
Some time later, Kurapika glanced at his phone and sighed. "Thank you all for the lovely evening, but I have to be going."  
  
Gon groaned and pleaded for him to stay before Killua bopped him on the head and hushed him.  
  
"You're right," Melody said, rising from her seat. "It's getting late and I have to go finish some things up before I head home. It was very nice to meet you Kurapika, I'm glad you've joined our little group."  
  
"Yeah, same," Killua added. "You're pretty cool. You're back tomorrow, yeah?"  
  
"I should be. So you two better practice. I'll be able to tell if you don't." Kurapika gave them the "I've got my eye on you" gesture, then headed down the hall to collect his shoes and bag.  
  
Leorio followed him at a respectful distance. "Do you need a ride? Don't want to risk you driving after the wine." Also he wanted to know what it would be like to have Kurapika in the passenger seat beside him again.  
  
"No worries," Kurapika said, tugging on a pair of adorable booties. "I have to call a cab anyway. Don't have a car and all. Thank you though."  
  
"Ah, gotcha." Leorio opened the door for him, but spoke once Kurapika had stepped out of the apartment. "Do you want the good news or the bad news?"  
  
Kurapika spun to look at him, concern flashing across his face before he could school it away. "There's bad news?"  
  
"Good news is, they love you. The bad news is, they're never gonna let you leave now. I think Gon may even have imprinted on you."  
  
Kurapika looked at the floor, then the wall, then back to the floor.  
  
Leorio sighed, then ran his hand through his hair. "I know you have your reasons for what you did. I understand that. And I will respect your space and your judgement and I'm happy to wait until you're ready to tell me. I just want you back in my life."  
  
"I think you'll regret those words," Kurapika whispered, eyes nailed to the floor between his feet.  
  
"I won't."  
  
"You will."  
  
"I won't. And if I do that'll be my problem. So," Leorio stepped forwards and extended a hand. "Hi. I'm Leorio. I'm a pediatrician and part of a band called Hunter. Maybe you've heard of us? Anyway, you're devastatingly gorgeous and wicked smart and I like you a lot. I'd love to go out with you, but if that's a no go I'm happy to start as friends. Whaddya say?"  
  
Kurapika stared at him for a long time, long enough he began to worry, then slowly reached out and slipped his hand into Leorio's. "Okay," he said softly. "I... I'd like to be friends."  
  
"Great. See you tomorrow!" Leorio let go and headed back into his apartment, shutting and locking the door before pumping his fist, unable to contain the laughter bubbling up in his throat.


	3. Reminiscence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is all of the main story I have written so far. Guess I better keep writing...

Stupid, pathetic, worthless, weak willed, idiot- the fuck was he doing? Kurapika smacked his head repeatedly against the elevator wall in the vague hope that he would succeed in beating some sense into himself. Sure, this was exactly his wildest dream: not only did Leorio want him in his life but he was even willing to let the past stay in the past. It was entirely possible that he would never demand the truth about what had happened, and that would be absolutely perfect for Kurapika. But it was also the pathetic, easy way out, and he knew that both his presence and the secrets he kept would hurt Leorio someday.  
  
But damn him, he was still so fucking weak to those soft, warm, hopeful hazel eyes and Leorio had been so flipping cute standing there like that, his outstreched hand had looked so inviting, and Kurapika had just given in like the hopeless, lovestruck fool he always had been. This was absolutely going to come around and bite him in the ass, but he'd never pretended that he made good decisions when it came to that man.  
  
Kurapika half-ran out of the building and hailed a cab, spending the ride trying to think about anything other than his current predicament. Needless to say, he failed miserably.  
  
He had the cab drop him off a block away from Neon's, walking around to the back entrance, exchanging a quick greeting with Squala as he stepped inside and headed for the changing room.  
  
Baise was touching up her lipstick when he entered. "There you are, Buttercup. You're late."  
  
Kurapik crossed to his locker. "I'm five minutes early, and my first set is in twenty. I have pleanty of time."  
  
"Well my set is in ten and you have to tell us about your new little job, so yes, you're late."  
  
Kurapika rolled his eyes and yanked off his shirt. "It's just a job. What's the big deal? You weren't half as interested when I got the teaching gig."  
  
Basho shoved his way into the room, just coming off a set judging by the amount of sweat dripping off him. "Yeah, cause you were teaching your froo-froo dancing to babies. Who cares? This is the real deal."  
  
Kurapika snorted, leaning against the wall of lockers and crossing his arms over his chest. "Says the poet. What would you know about real work?"  
  
"More than you, baby face."  
  
"Boys, enough," Baise interjected. "Now, tell us all the details."  
  
"It was fun," Kurapika told them as he tugged off his shoes and pants. "We didn't do a whole lot. Mostly just... got to know each other a little better. Went over some basics."  
  
"Why aren't you more excited?" Baise asked. "The boys are too young to be interesting, but I'd kill to 'get to know' The Lion."  
  
Kurapika's face scrunched in disgust and he held up a hand. "Please, stop. You've been over, in... revoltingly specific levels of detail, exactly what you'd like to do to him if given the chance and I really don't have the stomach to hear it again right now." Which was entirely his fault: she never would have said a word if he'd told her why it made him so uncomfortable. Or even told her that it did.  
  
"Well?" Basho insisted. "What's he like then?"  
  
"What do you care? I thought he wasn't your type?" Kurapika asked, tugging on his fishnets.  
  
Basho snorted. "He's rich and famous and hot. That's anyone's type. Now stop stalling."  
  
"He's... very nice," Kurapika said simply.  
  
"And?" Baise prompted.  
  
"And that's it. I didn't spend that much time with him, I mostly worked with Gon and Killua."  
  
Baise gave him an unimpressed look. "You were there for six hours, Buttercup. You must have interacted with him for some of that time."  
  
Damn her. She knew him way too well, a side affect of having practically raised him since he was sixteen. "He's nice and very polite and... tidy, I guess? And a good cook?" He tried to go for safe descriptions, things a stranger would notice instead of an old best friend/maybe, possibly partner, like that Leorio was actually an amazing chef and that his near OCD levels of tidiness stemmed from the need to be able to control something in his life.  
  
"Oh," Basho drawled. "So he cooked for you? That sounds promising. Maybe this is your chance to finally live up to the true sugar baby potential you've been denying for so long. You always did want a daddy." Kurapika felt his face burn and he spluttered his disagreement, but Basho just laughed. "Deny it all you want, but we know it's your destiny. Next time you're there, wear your manslayer boots and he'll be begging-"  
  
"Basho, I swear, if you finish that sentence I will bash your face in," Kurapika threatened, shaking one of his pleasers menacingly. He was fine with their teasing generally, but this conversation, with this particular target, was hitting far too close to home and Kurapika didn't feel like reliving his horny, fifteen year old self's fantasies at that particular moment. Especially the ones that involved Leorio begging.  
  
"Fine, fine, I get it, no more sugar daddy talk," the bigger man replied, holding up his hands in surrender. Then he smirked and added, "for now."  
  
Baise held up a hand when Kurapika moved to throw his shoe. "Other than that, everything went well?"  
  
Kurapika lowered his hand and thought for a moment. "Yeah," he said. "I guess it did."

The next morning, Kurapika arrived at nine with a twenty ounce travel mug of coffee and a tired smile. Leorio simply let him in and refrained from asking anything more prying than if he'd had breakfast yet and if he wanted some water to rehydrate. Kurapika refused his offers, stating he wasn't hungry and that he had a water bottle in his bag, but the genuine smile on his face fed Leorio's growing hope that they would be okay.  
  
Kurapika was a good teacher. He was patient and supportive and eloquent in his descriptions and instructions. He never once got frustrated when one of them butchered the steps, only slowed down and went over it again, sometimes stepping in to physically guide them through the motion. Part of Leorio wanted to impress him with the skills he'd picked up working with Bisky, but another part wanted to mess up just so Kurapika would touch him. Fortunately for his pride and sanity, the former won out, and he quickly learned that as much as his skin burned at Kurapika's touch, the warmth in his chest and face when Kurapika praised him was infinitely more satisfying. Leorio insisted they stop for an early lunch, claiming he'd worked up an appetite from all the dancing, but really it was to make sure Kurapika ate. Old habits died hard for both of them it seemed and he was desperately fighting his instinctive urge to start stashing protien bars in Kurapika's bag again everytime he caught sight of it while preparing their meal.  
  
"Need any help?"  
  
Leorio looked over to where Kurapika was leaning, fingers laced and forearms resting on the island, then back down at the row of toasted bagels ready to be customized. "I suppose I could use a second pair of hands. Wanna spread or top?" Leorio cringed the second the words were out of his mouth. "That... came out wrong."  
  
Kurapika tilted his head in confusion, then snorted, the sound unfairly cute. "Perve," he replied, slipping around the island. "Which drawer is your silverware in?"  
  
"Between the sink and the fridge. Grab a couple forks too, please."  
  
Kurapika did as instructed and stepped up beside him, offering the forks before popping open the cream cheese container.  
  
"So," Leorio drawled, playfully bumping Kurapika's side with his hip and praying to whatever benevolent being could hear him that he wasn't overstepping their undefined boundaries. "Spreading?"  
  
"Don't think I won't stab you," Kurapika replied, pointing his cream cheese coated weapon at Leorio. "Because I will. And then I will continue to prepare my bagels and lox with this knife and make my ancestors proud."  
  
Leorio chuckled. "Remind me to never borrow money from you or I may end up risking my literal skin."  
  
"Actually, you do owe me. I specifically remember lending you lunch money freshman year. That's five dollars plus, what, twelve years of compound interest?"  
  
Leorio huffed in mock outrage. "I remember no such event, and even if I did owe you money, keep in mind that I happen to be paying your bills now and I'm making you lunch on my dime. Do I need to revoke your bagel privileges?"  
  
Kurapika clutched his chest in mock horror. "You wouldn't."  
  
"Oh, but wouldn't I," Leorio smirked as he reached towards the bagel Kurapika had been working on. Kurapika snatched it off the cutting board and shoved it in his mouth, brandishing his knife to defend his prize. Leorio, laughing, lifted his fork in response, and after a quick cutlery scuffle, raised his hands in surrender.

The other three, spying on them from a distance with far more stealth than was at all necessary, shot each other loaded glances.  
  
"Do you remember him being like this before with any of his previous partners?" Melody whispered.  
  
"Nuh uh." Killua replied.  
  
"Not at all," Gon confirmed.  
  
They watched in silence for another minute before Gon spoke again. "I know they're being super cute right now, but I'm actually really hungry-" he was cut off by both Melody and Killua vigorously shushing him.

Being friends with Leorio again was infinitely easier than Kurapika had expected. He'd been fully prepared to be eaten alive by his guilt or at least be noticeably awkward, but by some miracle he was neither. It frightened him how easily they slid back into their comradery. It seemed wrong for him to be so comfortable with Leorio, considering all his lies and omissions, but the reversion was effortless. And worse, with it instinctively returned the teasing flirtations that had gotten them in so much trouble in high school, something which tested Kurapika to no end. At least they hadn't returned to the level of physicality they had enjoyed before because Kurapika was fairly certain that he would combust if Leorio touched him for longer than a second.  
  
When he arrived at the ballet studio later that day for his afternoon classes, he found a juice box and a bar tucked into one of the side pockets of his bag. He tried not to smile, he really did, but failed miserably. They really were picking up right where they'd left off. He sipped his juice while he waited for the first wave of obnoxious, screaming humans (and their frequently better behaved offspring) to arrive, pondering why Leorio would have a stash of kids' juice boxes before concluding that Leorio was just like. He was a pediatrician after all, even if it was just in name and not practice.  
  
"Miss Kurapika?"  
  
Kurapika looked down beside him and spotted one of the little girls he instructed standing beside him in her powder pink leotard.  
  
"Hey there, little one. What's going on?" He turned towards her and leaned forward to bring his face to her level.  
  
"My mommy always gives me that juice with lunch. Did your mommy give it to you too?"  
  
Kurapika made himself smile, shoving down the wave of sorrow that rose unbidden. "No, my... friend gave me this."  
  
"You can give your friends juice?" She asked, as if the idea had never occurred to her, though in her defense she was five and maybe it hadn't.  
  
"Of course. You can give your friends lots of things."  
  
The little girl stood and thought for a moment, then ran off to her mother.  
  
Kurapika finished the juice box and crushed it, plastering a smile on his face as he went to greet his students.  
  
Three classes and a set at Neon's later, Kurapika checked his phone as he wiped away his sweat and makeup. A total of nine messages from numbers he didn't recognize. He opened them up.  
  
Unknown Number 1: hi kuraoika  
Unknown Number 1: this is gon btw  
Unknown Number 1: mel gave us ur #  
Unknown Number 1: so i made a gc for us  
Unknown Number 1: hope thats ok  
Unknown Number 2: this is killua and obvy it's fine  
Unknown Number 2: and its Kurapika gon  
Unknown Number 1: oops sorry  
Unknown Number 3: This is Melody. I only gave the boys your number because they said they wanted it for emergencies. I hope I haven't overstepped.  
  
Kurapika quickly added the numbers to his contacts, noting the two unclaimed ones.  
  
He almost responded, but he refrained, considering it was just after two AM. The last thing he needed was questions about his night job. He would never, ever be ashamed of what he did, but he hated having to explain that no, he wasn't a stripper, and no, he wasn't a hooker, thank you very much. Always a fun conversation.  
  
He went home and hopped in the shower, washing away the day's sweat before pulling on his pajamas and crashing.


End file.
